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. In the content edit, we take a close look at all the elements that make up your story—pacing, voice, characterization, plot structure, organization, continuity—and work directly with you, the author, to strengthen these foundational pieces into the best version of your manuscript. We also leave reader reactions throughout the chapters, engaging with you as […]

. Copy Edit . Once you’re happy with the structure and development of your manuscript, a copy edit looks at the grammar, style, word choice, and other “gritty details” of the prose. The focus on our copy edits is to perfect the mechanics of your content without sacrificing your personal voice. The Process We edit […]

. Looking for an outsider’s opinion of your book? Sometimes it’s hard to be able to step back from a project you’ve been immersed in for so long and really weigh its caliber. We’ll give your manuscript a careful read-over—two, even—and send you a three- to four-page evaluation to let you know what works, what […]

. Do you have a book in mind, but aren’t sure how to start? Or maybe you’ve started, but you’ve gotten stuck and don’t know how to continue. As a writing coach, Amber will help you work through your book’s structure and outline, find a writing schedule that works for you and help keep you […]

. Ready to take your manuscript to the next level? Most online retailers (Amazon, Nook, iBookstore, etc.) sell eBooks as .EPUB files. Some self-publishing platforms will automatically convert your Word or Scrivener files for you, but those conversions are automated and won’t catch any of the formatting or aesthetic errors it introduced. We can convert […]

. There’s a common saying that goes, “Everyone has a book in them.” We believe this to be 100 percent true—everyone has an idea, an experience, or a lesson worth sharing. However, not everyone has the time or the patience to figure out how to get that story from their hearts and minds onto paper. […]

Prioritizing is hard. For those of us who aspire to be writers, sometimes the task seems at best too lofty and at worst, impossible. Contrary to what we might think, transitioning our writing from hobby to priority doesn’t mean shirking our other responsibilities or trying to squeeze writing into an already overburdened schedule. It does require, however, taking a look at how we spend our time to determine where writing really lies on our priority tree and taking measured steps to accomplish our writing goals.

Creating an outline for your story is an essential part of crafting a great novel. But which outline structure should I use? Will it even work for the type of writer or idea I have? Let’s look at the series grid, 7-point plot structure, three act, and snowflake method.

Deciding whether or not to hire an editor can be a daunting task. Will they tell me I’m a terrible writer? Are they just out to take my money? What do editors even do? I’m going to tackle those questions and more in this post.

This week’s blog post is brought to us by guest writer Christi Martin. Stuck on how to come up with fresh ideas for your writing? Afraid that what you have to say isn’t original, or that you won’t be able to explain it just right? Check out this great article on how to generate and cultivate ideas for any writing project.

Have you ever wondered what your writing personality is? Or maybe you’ve seen a cute little chart on Pinterest talking about the 16 personality types, but you couldn’t make heads or tails of it. We’re going to look at that graphic and talk about how your dialogue, descriptions, length, and pacing affects your writer’s personality in the genre market.

There’s always a struggle in deciding how much time you need to focus on your “break out” novels versus writing shorter works for competitions. I hear you asking, “I want to be a serious author, so why waste time entering writing contests when I could be pitching to agents?” Well, dear reader, simply because it’s worth it.

As you grow, you see the world differently. Well, so do your characters. Theme the metaphors in your character’s POV narrative to subtly demonstrate their growth to your readers. Using this method, we can dive even deeper into Deep POV, show your character’s motivations and personality, as well as show their evolution over the course of the story.

The way you end your chapter is super important. It’s the last words in an argument, a promise of what’s to come, a gift of satisfaction to the reader—in other words, how you end your chapter will convince the reader of whether or not they want to continue reading. Let’s talk about three strong techniques you can use to end chapters: cliff hangers, bookends, and zooming out.

Is this new Harry Potter tale worth the read? Was producing a screenplay and leaving it in the hands of novel readers and global directors a wise move? The following review is spoiler-free but assumes readers have some working knowledge of the Potter universe.

So you know what you want to write, you just can’t seem to get it down on paper. That’s totally natural. Here are three techniques you can use to get that awesome scene out of your head and down on paper. Remember–revisions can always improve on the draft later.

Writing groups are a great way to grow your skill with the craft, network with other writers, and see definite progress on your projects. Meeting with others who share your passion for writing can be one of the most beneficial ways to spend your time outside of actually writing—if done correctly.

Writers already use Pinterest to find writing tips, character templates, book reviews, and more. These kinds of boards are great for adding to your writer’s toolbox, but how can Pinterest improve your personal project? I think it’s time we consider creating a mood board for your story.

Revision is key to good writing. But when do you do it? As you go, afterwards, in chunks? Here are the pros and cons to the different techniques to help you form a revision strategy that works best for you!

I am so excited to announce the official opening of Rooted in Writing! Hooray! Fellow writers, this is going to be a great place to be in the upcoming months. Be sure to check back on Tuesdays and Fridays to see the latest blog posts, and follow me on Twitter to get updates on the writing community and publishing world! If you have any questions or need a freelance editor, feel free to contact me. Explore the site, and I hope to see you around!

When creating a world, knowing the biomes can help bring depth and believably to the creatures and cultures with which you choose to populate them. A biome is a region of the world defined by its climate, animals, and plants. It affects not only the landscape, but the cultures and characters as well.

Transitioning from scene to scene in your writing can be tricky. Here are three useful transitions you can use to keep your story moving without losing your reader. We’re talking about slides, summaries, and scene cuts.